New York (January 30, 2017) Medical students at Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore joined forces today in a public demonstration pledging to support and protect the Affordable Care Act, which is in jeopardy of being repealed.

Steven M. Safyer, M.D.The entire Montefiore-Einstein community stands in solidarity with these student demonstrators. We applaud and support their peaceful but forceful position that a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, without a good replacement plan, will cause undue harm to nearly 3 million New Yorkers and 20 million Americans who have gained coverage from the law.

“Our strong support for Einstein students stems from our deep commitment to healthcare as a basic human right and Montefiore’s decades-long leadership in transforming healthcare to make it more effective, more comprehensive and more accessible,” said Steven M. Safyer, M.D., president and CEO, Montefiore Medicine. “Governor Cuomo, in his State of the State address, praised our success and pioneering work on behalf of our patients. Einstein students learn at Montefiore’s hospitals and practices in the Bronx, and have seen first-hand how the innovative programs and life-saving care provided by Montefiore-Einstein physicians have improved the health and lives of people in our community, one of the poorest and unhealthiest in the country. Our medical students represent the future of medicine and today’s march underscores their unwavering support for accountable and accessible care for all Americans.”

When these young students begin their practice, they will swear an oath to Do No Harm; they understand that any policy that takes affordable medical insurance away from millions of people who need it will, in fact, cause harm.

Einstein students, and their fellow medical students throughout the region, will be the doctors of the future. They are protesting because they know that a repeal of the ACA represents a dangerous step into the past.

We should all heed their call to action at this time of uncertainty.